Bricked router WRT1900ACS v1.

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Gabstink
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Joined: 10 Dec 2019
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 18:00    Post subject: Bricked router WRT1900ACS v1. Reply with quote
Hello , i had wi-fi randomly resetting (very annoying) so i decided to upgrade the current firmware (r38159) to a newer 44715 of my WRT1900ACS v1.

While upgrading, it stopped at 80% with an error , now the power lights comes up (5 blinks) , esata lights up (3 seconds) and restarts (continuous loop).

Got putty and tftpd ready , but doesn't let me get into it .
Looks dead Sad .

Any tip?

Regards Alex.
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Per Yngve Berg
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 18:17    Post subject: Reply with quote
Why 44715? Latest is 49492.

These routers have two partitions.

Power it up 3 times and it will bootstrap from the other one.
Gabstink
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Joined: 10 Dec 2019
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 18:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tried ,
doesn't work... Sad

Haven't got lights going out , do you remember how many seconds is on/off cycle?

Regards Alex.
dale_gribble39
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 18:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
You either have to do the power-cycle trick as advised to boot to the other partition and re-flash current release
or use serial to de-brick if that doesn't work. What browser were you using to flash?

DD-WRT Installation, Upgrade & Basic Setup–Cliff Notes

Linksys WRT AC Series - OpenWRT Wiki

Also, no previously noted issues in the release post for 44715 as far as bricking:

New Build - 11/03/2020 - r44715

Did you select "reset to defaults after flashing"?

WRT1900ACSv2 Potentially Bricked

Another nugget of info for recovery (timing is everything):

New Build - 11/21/2020 - r44849

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blkt
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Joined: 20 Jan 2019
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2022 5:22    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is a triple power toggle failover method to force switch the boot partition.
It is a pain sometimes to find correct timing, so here are alternate descriptions.

Power ON and when LAN LED is blinking immediately turn it OFF then wait at least three seconds, repeat.
Then power it on a third time and let it run.

Another visual cue is power LED blinks a few times then turns off for about 2 seconds, switch power OFF.

Edit: https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt1900acs#power_switch
https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt_ac_series#power_switch
https://oldwiki.archive.openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt1x00ac_series#firmware_recovery


Last edited by blkt on Fri Jul 22, 2022 17:22; edited 1 time in total
Gabstink
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Joined: 10 Dec 2019
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 22:20    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hello I managed to get this from putty , but doesn't let me write anything at the end due to rebooting process..
Can't switch partitions either Sad .

Shall I use it as a paperweight ??

https://imgur.com/z0LhM8U
https://imgur.com/IFcCWVE
https://imgur.com/5CBUyti
https://imgur.com/sCr6EAz
https://imgur.com/nNR1L73
https://imgur.com/9Fx7zt9
https://imgur.com/UDH5jY2
https://imgur.com/wmedxoe
https://imgur.com/ur8U4w6
https://imgur.com/MHWaO2A
kernel-panic69
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Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 1:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can copy all the PuTTY output (right click on window title bar...) and paste it to a text file attachment or body of a post, for future reference. Anyhow, you have to break boot to run any recovery commands from u-boot on these devices, which it sounds like you're not doing. If you're too overwhelmed, I(we) still sometimes offer services to those who are geographically close enough. Otherwise, if you just wish to give up and throw in the towel, I can always use more test devices since all but one of my Marvells which runs OpenWRT are no longer in hand for testing anymore.
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blkt
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 7:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://pjo2.github.io/tftpd64/ - tftpd64.464.zip - tftpd32.464.zip - tftpd64.452.zip - tftpd32.452.zip

Some USB to TTL serial adapters need to connect TX/RX/GROUND, usually ground, after power on.

Power on WRT1900ACS v1, press any key until u-boot loader interrupts then to Marvell>> prompt.

Code:
Marvell>> printenv ipaddr
ipaddr=192.168.1.1
Marvell>> printenv netmask
netmask=255.255.255.0
Marvell>> printenv serverip
serverip=192.168.1.254
Marvell>> printenv firmwareName
firmwareName=shelby.img

Configure Ethernet adapter also TFTP server to upload shelby.img, a renamed factory-to-ddwrt.bin.

IP(serverip)/Netmask/Gateway(ipaddr)? tftpd shelby.img in current directory & server interface IP?

Code:
Marvell>> run update_both_images

Successful? Power cycle router, or run "boot" command to boot or "reset" to reset the CPU (reboot).

If some reason WRT1900ACS v1 still does not boot DD-WRT, then hold reset button for 10 seconds.

Found a thread if you need more details. https://forum.dd-wrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=313590


Last edited by blkt on Sun Jul 31, 2022 2:20; edited 3 times in total
Gabstink
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Joined: 10 Dec 2019
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 22:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
Any idea why I can't stop the booting process...

Pressed every key on the keyboard and mouse , It still carries on booting.
dale_gribble39
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Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1899

PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 23:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
That looks like possible results of a bad / corrupted / interrupted flash of sorts, but hopefully no hardware failure. Were you flashing over wifi or wired ethernet? I see nothing in the forum about 44715 bricking anyone's router in the Marvell sub-forum. Breaking boot can be a timing issue. You could try continuously tapping the spacebar like you're playing Space Invaders at the arcade while powering up, but it looks as if there is an auto recovery process going? I even searched to see if 38159 webUI upgrade was broken and came up short, so this is an interesting anomaly to mysteriously uncover itself.
_________________
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"I am one of the noticeable ones - notice me" - Dale Frances McKenzie Bozzio

<fact>code knows no gender</fact>

This is me, knowing I've ruffled your feathers, and not giving a ****
Some people are still hard-headed.

--------------------------------------
Mac Pro (Mid 2012) - Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5645 processors 64GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM OpenSUSE Leap 15.5
blkt
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Joined: 20 Jan 2019
Posts: 5660

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 11:00    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe use a different USB to TTL serial adapter. I have this: DTECH FT232RL 3.3v 3 pin (Amazon, eBay).
Other common chips than FTDI: the drivers SiLabs CP2102 and Prolific PL2303 series (Windows, macOS).
Something else to check than driver: COM port settings, speed or baud rate bits per second 115200 8N1.

WRT1900ACS v1 header pins are small so check TX/RX/GROUND connectors make contact with each pin.
From the jj.txt log "Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0" so this three second time window has already passed.

"Some USB to TTL serial adapters need to connect TX/RX/GROUND, usually ground, after power on."
However, at this point it would be even more timing critical to interrupt u-boot after ground connect.
If all has been checked try ground. Maybe check USB to TTL adapter poor factory soldering of wires.
kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 14:48    Post subject: Reply with quote
blkt wrote:
"Some USB to TTL serial adapters need to connect TX/RX/GROUND, usually ground, after power on."

This is specific to Broadcom Northstar SoCs as well as possibly TP-Link Atheros SoC boards in my experience. I have never had this issue with any Marvells in hand, whatsoever. I also have the pitch adapter for the UART header on these, which is a BIG help.

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blkt
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 15:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
"Found a thread if you need more details. https://forum.dd-wrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=313590"
lyrrad wrote:
Note for WRT1900 ACS V1 users:
Base on this link and forum member dertester123: https://community.linksys.com/t5/Wireless-Routers/wrt1900acs-brick-and-not-connect-serial/td-p/982681/page/4, there is a glitch with V1 in that you need to first turn on the router before connecting the RX/TX/Ground pins to the router's serial port. Once the router is turned on, in 3-5 seconds, insert the pins to the serial port and hit the key to prevent a boot.

Leaning towards USB to TTL itself or combination of USB to TTL and WRT PCB, but not WRT PCB itself.

But anyway most people can do without pin adapter. If you know of a cheaper one...(Amazon, eBay)


Last edited by blkt on Sun Jul 31, 2022 2:25; edited 3 times in total
kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 15:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another forum thread that was never "solved" regarding this "issue":

wrt1900acs brick and not connect serial

I don't have sound hooked up on this workstation, but I didn't visually see any evidence of the need to use the workaround, but not sure which router it was performed on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZYXKAkuJ5w

And as in a lot of cases, one or two peple had an issue and a workaround was noted as a solution, but not necessarily required - if anything, power up and connect ground or whichever lead if you have enough hands. It is sometimes dependent on which adapter you use and if it is truly level-shifting as well as driver and PuTTY configuration issues. I've had this same exact router come across the bench more than once. There's enough misinformation on the internet if you look hard enough. I have notes and documentation in a binder and completed work orders both in digital and paper format for about a dozen of these. If you have no proof of your own experience, posting links all day long is not fact.

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